Robin follows in Fahad’s footsteps
Pete Morgan, batting against Deeping last summer, will captain Bourne again in 2012
SOUTH African Robin Gow Kleinschmidt hopes to become an Abbey Lawn star this summer as Bourne Cricket Club’s overseas player for 2012.
The countdown to the cricket season began on Sunday with players training in indoor nets, and the club is confident that the South African all-rounder’s paperwork will all be in order for the start of the season.
“I am sure he will be here for the start of the season,” said Bourne chairman Hedley Stroud.
Gow Klienschmidt, or RGK as he appears likely to become known at the Abbey Lawn, has a tough act to follow in the shape of Fahad Masood. But Stroud said the time is right for the Abbey Lawn club to move on from the record-breaking Pakistani player.
He said: “Fahad did a great job but two years is probably enough for any overseas player.
“It will leave us perhaps a little short on the bowling side but nobody could follow what Fahad achieved. We are still hoping to find a third seamer.”
The squad has begun training at Witham Hall School and the chairman said: “The hall is free and a few came along last Sunday.”
But that understates the amount of preparation already underway at the Abbey Lawn side where captains have been selected for the summer. Pete Morgan will again skipper the Saturday and Sunday first teams, and Tom Bentley and Dirk Binns will share honours for the second teams.
RGK will also be working with at least one of Bourne’s highly successful junior teams during his season with Bourne, which begins in less than three months.
Also joining Bourne is wicketkeeper Carl Wilson who arrives from Skegness, where Bourne’s opening game of the 2012 season will take place on April 21.
Bourne were champions in 2010 and the aim this year is to go one better than last year’s second place and reclaim the county crown.
“We lost to Bracebridge at Bourne in June and it was uphill after that. But we had a crack at it,” said Stroud.
“Both the last two years we have had a bad start. Hopefully this will be a slightly different season.
“We have a good group of players and I am confident we have one of the best batting line-ups in the league.
“With a little luck we will do well again.
“Saturday’s second XI had a very disappointing year last summer. One of the key things this time is that they are not scrambling out of trouble in the last few games. We should be top five. We have the capability.”
Bourne’s 3rd XI will also be in action during the summer but without the league commitment once talked about.
Stroud said: “We wanted to keep with friendlies for the third XI. They’ll have about eight games lined up. It’s more of a development side with, in the main, youth players.”
l BOURNE Cricket Club will hold a casino evening at Bourne Corn Exchange to help raise funds for the club on Saturday, March 10. Club chairman Hedley Stroud said: “Everyone is very welcome to support us at what we hope will be an enjoyable evening.”
l JUNIOR indoor nets sessions take place throughout February and March. For full details, see next week’s Local.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Bourne
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
